THE Ivory Coast's Port of Abidjan Port has opened bidding for the construction and management of the harbour's second container terminal with initial offers accepted until July 14.

Port director Hein Sie said he hopes to triple capacity to 2.3 million TEU over four years to remain competitive with the rest of West Africa once the new terminal opens in 2016, which will increase capacity to 1.5 million TEU.

"We want to make Abidjan the principal hub not only between the north and south, but also between the countries of the south who are experiencing rapid economic development that will continue in coming years," Mr Sie told Reuters.

"We want to increase the Port of Abidjan's competitiveness in view of competition from other ports, for example in Togo, Senegal, Nigeria and Cameroon," he said.

Abidjan handles most of the country's chief cocoa export as well as 60 per cent of trade from land-locked Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.